The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-17

THE SUCCESSFUL OPENING OF
THE MARSH LINE TO rYBEE.

full Run Over the Line and a Safe
Arrival in Savannah a Description
OF the Historic Ground over Which
the Iron Horse Now Plunges-Dis-
mantled Fortifications and Scenes of
Song az Story Viewed From the
Windows of the Train.
The seekers of sea hreezes who ara revel-
ling in the delights of Tybee Island, Geor-
gia's seaside resort, arose early yesterday
morning to witness the departure of the first
train over the new line from the island to
Savannah. They repaired to the station
where the train was waiting, and one of the
Savannah Florida and Western engines
gaudily decked in ribbons and flowers which
stool at the head of a baggage car and
three coaches. The spectators were ex-
travagant in their admiration of the
train which stood upon the track, looking
as proud as a salutatorian on commence
ment day, but as natural as if it had been
running over that marsh line as long as the
waves of the ocean had been restlessly beat
ing the sands of Tybee. There were not
more than fifty passengers to bring to the
city, but they hurriedly took their places in
the car with as much interest as If they
were to ride on the first train ON a new road
to the moon. At Z o'clock Mr.. J. j. Nc
Donough. who was the engineer of the oc-
casion blew the whistle and a moment later
he threw open the throttle and the tram
pulled out, amid the cheers of the spectators
and the waving of hats and of handker
chiefs
PLEASANT RIDE.
The trip to the city was delightful and
the passengers, who rode the whole distance
with their heads out of the windows, thor
oughly enjoyed the first ride over the new
line The roadbed was in excellent condi-
ton, though there is good deal Of work to
be done on it yet, still the motion of the
train was easy and there was much less
roughnesS than is customary on roads that
have not been settled by time and travel.
ARRIVING at the neat little depot
that has been erected Just below the
Savannah, Florida and Westerns depot the
passengers left the train and crowded
around Capt. Purse, who was the recipient
of many congratulatory expressions on the
successful opening of the line. The trains
booked for the day made their trips on
schedule time and the last train was well
loaded with people going to Tybee to re-
main until Monday. To-day's trains will
leave as per the schedule, and Capt. Purse
expects to carry large crowds, who will
visit the island to drink in the invigorating
sea breeze for few hours at least.
HISTORIC GROUND.
The railroad to Tybee passes over historic
ground its entire way. Leaving the city
It crosses the valley between the bluffs of
Savannah and Bruton Hill. Over these
now green fields a part of the British
advanced when they captured Savannah in
1777, and two years later, during the seige of
the city by the French and Americans a
force of the latter attempted TO storm the
British fort which stood where the gas
works now stand, and were captured in the
attempt under its very guns The railroad,
after passing through this beautiful
valley, enters a cut on the Twicken-
ham plantation, and rises by light grade
to the top Of Bruton Hill. This is the
highest point on the railroad. The descent
is then gradual to Fort Barlow through the
Deptford rice plantation, one of the old
Colonial settlements originally granted TO
Causton, a character who figured
of the colony. The Tybee railroad
crosses the right of way of the old Confeder-
ate railroad which was used in building the
batteries along the river and for the trans
portation of troops and material to
those points. Leaving the highlands
of Deptford, large area de-
voted to the cultivation of rice intervenes
between UDe GdllTOdu ana the river,
and in the distance can be seen the brick
walls of Fort Oglethorpe to the left, and
TO the front the high earthworks of Fort
Barlow. the ramparts of which are now
covered by forest trees
A PLEASING PANORAMA.
From Fort Barlow can be seen the iron
bridge across Augustine creek Crossing
this bridge the railroad traverses McQueen's
island for distance of eight miles. This
island is a low, narrow piece of marsh
land with a slight elevation near
its centre, which is used as the line of the
railroad, A pleasing panorama presents
itself. To the left is the north
and south channels of the Savannah
river, on which is constantly TO be seen
steamships and sailing vessels and craft
of all sizes, with cargoes more or less valua-
ble which represent the commerce and in
dustries of all nations; to the right
the sylvan islands of Wilmington
and Whitemarsh. As the train APP
proaches the eastern end of the island the
traveller, by bend in the road, has view
of the broad Atlantic, and at the same time
Fort Pulaski with its battered walls is seen
in the distance. II looks like a brick
barn standing in field of grain.
McQueen's Island does not offer at present
any inducements to the traveller to spend a
night there, but there is some talk about
this part Of it being made coaling depot,
when the short line is built to the Alabama
coal fields.
SEASIDE NOMENCLATURE.
There is plenty of deep water at Potato
Point which is the classic name given to
the eastern end of the island, not by the
natives, because it is not within the proba.
bilities that anyone was ever born on il
who could give it a name, but by
the Tybee Islanders There are curious
names given to places by the sea, and Tybee
has its share of them. There is Horse Per
creek, Cow Head cut and Chimney creek
One of the ''oldest inhabitants of Tybet
stated that Horse PEN derived its name
from the fact that years ago horses were
bred on the island, and there was horse
pen at that point, where stock was landed
from or put aboard of vessels ''Cow',
Head cut received its name from a cows
head on pole having for years marked its
entrance, and "by the same tokenn Chimney
creek must have had chimney near it, OF
in it, at one time, and Potato Point a pota
topatch. Crossing on the splendid iron bridge
that spans Lazaretto creek, the traveller is
on terra tirma again, and If he were afoot
would be treading ON historic ground
There is enough historical material hidden
beneath Tybee's sands to fill a volume which
would tire book agent to carry round with
him in these sweltering days
ARELIc OF THE sLAvERs.
Lazaretto creek is another strange name
IL is as unsavory as those of other creeks in
ha xyfcipffxy l,,,t he - h.,